Foreword: “As Palestinians, no matter what comes of this, we haven’t failed. We did our best. And we didn’t lose our humanity.”
Every day, we hear of numbers. Numbers of deaths, numbers of injuries, numbers of rockets, numbers of airstrikes. Numbers that are supposed to represent the reality of the war in Gaza, but in fact, obscure and distort it. Numbers that reduce human beings to statistics and erase their identities, histories, and aspirations. Numbers that make us indifferent and apathetic to the suffering and struggle of an entire nation. But behind every number, there is a name. A name that belongs to a person who had a life, a family, a career, and a dream. A name that challenges the narrative of oppression and occupation, and asserts the dignity and resilience of a people.
Palestinians are not numbers. They are human beings who have stories to tell and voices to be heard. One of those voices was Refaat Alareer, a writer, a poet, a teacher, a mentor, a friend, and a voice for the people of Gaza.
This article is dedicated to his life and work, and how he represents and inspires the Palestinian cause, especially in the face of the recent Israeli aggressions that have claimed his life and the lives of countless others.
A memorial vigil was held on December 9, 2023, at 4:30 PM, at Clark Park in Philadelphia to honor the memory of Refaat Alareer. This event was organized by Writers Against the War on Gaza and Philly Writers Against the War on Gaza, to pay homage to Alareer's life and legacy. The vigil served not only as a tribute but also as a powerful declaration of solidarity and a call for peace amidst the ongoing conflict. Image posted by Refaat’s student Youssef Al Jamal on X. March 22, 2024
— YousefAljamal (@YousefAljamal) March 22, 2024
A memorial vigil was held on December 9, 2023, at 4:30 PM, at Clark Park in Philadelphia to honor the memory of Refaat Alareer. This event was organized by Writers Against the War on Gaza and Philly Writers Against the War on Gaza, to pay homage to Alareer’s life and legacy. The vigil served not only as a tribute but also as a powerful declaration of solidarity and a call for peace amidst the ongoing conflict.
Image posted by Refaat’s student Youssef Al Jamal on X.
On December 6, 2023, Refaat Alareer was killed by an Israeli airstrike that targeted his home in northern Gaza, along with his brother, his brother’s son, his sister, and her three children. He was only 44.
In total, Israel killed more than 30 relatives of Alareer and his wife. He was one of the more than 24,000 Palestinians who have been killed by Israeli strikes in almost four months.
#Refaat in the city of brotherly love! pic.twitter.com/xAjRPBivuB
— Yousef Aljamal 🪁 (@YousefAljamal) December 16, 2023
Refaat Alareer in Philadelphia.
Image posted by Refaat’s student Youssef Al Jamal on X.
A poet and a scholar
I was introduced to Refaat a few months ago at a Palestinian literature festival, Palestine Writes, in Philadelphia, where Refaat had visited. I read his work and admired the passion and eloquence in which he wrote of Palestinians, the resilience of Gazans, and the voice he gave to our people. Little did I know, only a few months later, I would be reciting his poem, If I Must Die, and not be able to hold back tears as I mourn his death.
Refaat was not only a poet, but also a scholar and a professor. He had a BA in English from the Islamic University of Gaza, an MA from University College London, and a PhD in English Literature from the Universiti Putra Malaysia. His dissertation was on John Donne, the 17th-century English poet who also wrote about death and love.
Refaat taught literature and creative writing at the Islamic University of Gaza, where he inspired and mentored many. He also wrote and edited several books, including Gaza Writes Back, a collection of short stories by young Gazan writers, and Gaza Unsilenced, an anthology of essays, photos, and poems about the 2014 Israeli war on Gaza.
Refaat Alareer, Melbourne, Australia. pic.twitter.com/rIim3gzyBz
— Yousef Aljamal 🪁 (@YousefAljamal) December 10, 2023
A woman carries a placard during the pro-Palestinian march held on December 10, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia. The placard features a portrait of Dr. Refaat Al Areer, along with the date he was assassinated, and reads: “Israel wants us to be closed, isolated— to push us to the extreme. It doesn’t want us to see ourselves as part of a universal struggle against oppression. They don’t want us to be educated or to be educators.”
Image posted by Refaat’s student Youssef Al Jamal on X.
A voice of a nation
The dehumanization of Palestinians is not a new phenomenon, but a result of decades of systematic and structural violence and discrimination by the Israeli occupation. Since 1948, Israel has denied Palestinians their basic rights to self-determination, sovereignty, and freedom. It subjected them to land confiscation, settlement expansion, military raids, checkpoints, blockades, and collective punishment. These policies and practices have not only violated international law and human rights, but also devalued and degraded the lives of Palestinians.
The media and the international community have also played a role in the dehumanization of Palestinians, by either ignoring, misrepresenting, or demonizing their plight and struggle. Palestinians are often portrayed as terrorists, extremists, fanatics, or victims, who are either a threat or a burden to the world. These stereotypes and prejudices have created a distorted and biased image of Palestinians, trying to justify Israeli aggression and oppression.
Nevertheless, Refaat Alareer and other Palestinian writers have challenged the dehumanization of Palestinians by showcasing their humanity and creativity, and by giving them a voice and a platform to express their views and values. Through their stories, poems, essays, and blogs, they have revealed the hopes and fears, the joys and sorrows, as well as the dreams and nightmares of Palestinians.
#Refaat always said that writing and storytelling is an act of resistance. pic.twitter.com/yudOwWb3ma
— Yousef Aljamal 🪁 (@YousefAljamal) December 23, 2023
This photo captures Refaat Alareer as he gives a lecture. Captioned “#Refaat always said that writing and storytelling is an act of resistance,” the image was posted by his student, Youssef Al Jamal, on X.
A mentor and a friend
One of the projects that Refaat Alareer co-founded and led was We Are Not Numbers, a project that matches experienced authors around the world with young writers in Gaza, and provides them with training, mentoring, and publishing opportunities. The project aims to challenge the media stereotypes of Palestinians, and to amplify their voices and narratives. Refaat believed that writing was a form of resistance and liberation, and that every Palestinian had a story to tell.
Refaat was not only a voice, but also a listener. He was always eager to learn from others, to exchange ideas and opinions, and to engage in dialogue and debate. He was open-minded, curious, and respectful.
He was also generous, kind, and humorous. He had a warm smile and a hearty laugh.
He loved his family, his friends, his students, and his colleagues. He loved his culture, his language, his literature, and his music.
He loved his land, his sea, his sky, and his people.
He loved Gaza, and Gaza loved him back.
We could die this dawn.
— Refaat in Gaza 🇵🇸 (@itranslate123) December 4, 2023
I wish I were a freedom fighter so I die fighting back those invading Israeli genocidal maniacs invading my neighborhood and city. https://t.co/liYqMN6Fw7 pic.twitter.com/E2ZWCLGBQ8
Captioned “We are forcibly and under over 24 hours of bombardment and shelling, leaving yet another place of shelter along with thousands of families. Many are still trapped in Shujayia, including some of my children and family members,” Although the video is pitch black, the chilling sounds of Israeli planes and airstrikes can be heard in the background.
Posted on December 4, 2023, by the late Refaat Alareer on X.
A human and a hero
Refaat Alareer was a remarkable man who left a lasting legacy. He touched the lives of many people, both in Gaza and around the world. He inspired all of us with his courage, creativity, wisdom, and humanity. He challenged us to think critically, to act compassionately, and to write boldly. He showed us how to live with dignity, and die with honor.
Refaat also showed us how to cling to our humanity in the face of destruction, starvation, and displacement. He taught us how to resist and survive, love and laugh, hope and heal, write and create. He taught us how to be human, in a world that has forgotten what that means. He was not alone in this endeavor, as he was joined by many other Palestinians who have shown us more about humanity than any human rights organization.
People like Motaz Azaiza, who risked his life everyday to document and report the Israeli atrocities in Gaza. People like Plestia Alaqad, who still uses her art and music to spread awareness and solidarity with the Palestinians. People like the younger journalists, who despite their age and lack of resources, manage to produce and publish quality and credible stories that challenge mainstream media. People like Refaat’s students, who despite their grief and trauma, continue to write and share their stories with the world. These people, and many others, have taught us what it means to be human, to be Palestinian, and to be alive.
If I must die, let it be a tale. #FreePalestine #Gaza pic.twitter.com/ODPx3TiH1a
— Refaat in Gaza 🇵🇸 (@itranslate123) November 1, 2023
Refaat Alareer’s poem “If I Must Die,” was posted by the late Refaat Alareer on November 1, 2023, on X.
I often think of Refaat’s life. I think of how Refaat recited his poem, If I Must Die, to his family before his death. I think of his conviction and emotion, and how I feel his every word in my heart and soul. I think of how he hugged them and thanked them for listening to him and being there. I think of how he smiled and joked when he was here in Philly, even though he knew he was going back to a war zone. I think of how he lived, and how he died. And I will never forget him, or his voice.
He shared his voice notes with Time magazine, in which he described the horrors of the Israeli bombardment, the resilience of the Palestinian community, and the generosity of the people there. He said:
[…] I remember during the first days of the Israeli genocide, I went to a shop and bought powdered milk. Another person said, “Can I have one of these?” And the shopkeeper said, “Sorry, it’s the last one.” And we almost fought. I told him, “No, you take it.” And he said, “There’s no way I can.” And I said, “I have one at home. Please take it.” You must be familiar with how Arabs always fight at the cashier at restaurants, beating each other up to pay. It was beautiful—the man insisting he’s not going to take it, and me insisting to give it to him. But he turned it down, declined politely, at the end.
When our building was bombed, we were at home. There was no prior warning and we had to flee, some of us barefoot. We just grabbed the bag—the famous bag in Gaza that families have near the door in every war with important documents, money, cash, women’s gold, et cetera. So we ran away with nothing, no food. We left everything: the flour, the cooking gas, the eggs, the canned food, and we went with nothing to the school shelter and people were welcoming despite the fact that there were too many people. It was extremely difficult. We had very little water, very little food. The next morning, people who knew that we were bombed and came without anything to eat shared their stuff with us. That was beautiful.
Three days ago, there was a horrible bombing here. I went downstairs very quickly and there was a woman with two kids, and they were crying. I stopped and took two dates and gave it to the kids. The woman was surprised and the kids were silent; they were no longer crying. I believe it is contagious. Doing good is contagious. It makes you feel accomplished. It’s rewarding in the way you help others. And it makes others help others. And this is what I want—for this to be infectious in the positive sense. And I see people doing this all the time.
[…] The pressure, the starvation, the need for water, is making it even more difficult for people to be themselves, to be generous. And I think it’s going to grow more and more in the coming days. Hopefully, it’s not going to get there. But people are literally starving and rationing. When I was at home, we would ration—eat one quarter and drink one quarter of what we usually do. Now we eat less, we drink less. But it’s impossible with the kids. I personally lost like five kilos, but I don’t care. I can eat one date for 10 or 15 hours. I’m a young man. But how would you tell a kid they can’t eat, they can’t have what they want, they can’t drink enough? I keep telling my kids, “Drink less, eat less.”
Refaat Alareer explores the power of storytelling during his ‘Stories Make Us’ talk at TEDxShujaiya, 2015.
A legacy and a challenge
Refaat Alareer left behind a legacy of words and deeds that will inspire generations of Palestinians and people around the world. He left behind a collection of books, poems, essays, and voice notes that document the history, the struggle, and the beauty of Gaza. He left behind a network of writers, students, friends, and colleagues who will continue his work and honor his memory. He left behind a family, a wife and five children.
Refaat Alareer also left a challenge behind for us, the readers and the writers, the activists and the allies, the humans and the heroes. He challenged us not to forget Gaza, not to forget Palestine, not to forget the injustice and the oppression that Palestinians face every day. He challenged us not to be silent, not to be passive, not to be complicit. He challenged us to speak up, to act up, to stand up. He challenged us to resist, to liberate, to create.
And for that, we will always remember him. We will continue his work. We will honor his memory.
Refaat Alareer was a poet and a scholar, a mentor and a friend, a human and a hero.
He was a name, not a number. He was a voice, not a silence. He was a life, not a death.
He was Refaat Alareer, and we will never forget him.
Here are the first and last page of my piece for “Light in Gaza” which you now can download for FREE from @haymarketbooks. Please read it and let me know what you think of it. https://t.co/CGBnW1VR3r pic.twitter.com/FgOFTYTrUD
— Refaat in Gaza 🇵🇸 (@itranslate123) November 28, 2023
Refaat Alareer shared the first and last page of ‘Light in Gaza,’ an anthology that features a collection of works by Palestinian writers and artists. The book can be downloaded for free on Haymarket Books. Posted on November 28, 2023, by the late Refaat Alareer on X.
Palestinians are not numbers
Refaat Alareer was one of the thousands of Palestinians who were killed in the recent Israeli war on Gaza, but he was not just a number. He was a name, a life, an achievement. He was a voice, a voice that spoke for Gaza, for Palestine, for humanity. A voice that we need to listen to, and to amplify. A voice that we need to remember, and to honor.
Palestinians are human beings who have stories to tell and voices to be heard. Stories and voices that challenge the dehumanization and oppression that they face, and assert the dignity and resilience that they embody. Stories and voices that can inspire and influence us, and others, to stand with them, and to act for them. Stories and voices that can change the world, and make it a better place. A place where humanity prevails over numbers.
Salam Bustanji
Salam is a journalist and writer based in Philadelphia, where she covers issues of human rights, gender, armed conflict, geopolitics, and culture wars. She has a BA and MA in English Literature, with a focus on Gender Studies and Disability Studies.
Salam is descended from Palestinian refugees who were displaced and became exiles after the 1948 war. As a result, her family is scattered all over the world, and she had to grow up in places she was never able to call home. This taught her to adapt to different cultures and to take advantage of every opportunity she got to voice her advocacy for human rights. She also works in US immigration law, and hopes to be a part of a future where everyone has equal access to opportunities and resources without being underrepresented, misrepresented, or marginalized.
Other Socials: Letterboxd,WordPress
